In The Ranks of Death You Will Find Him
by turbomagnus
Summary: En route to Cardassia Prime for the final battle of the Dominion War, O'Brien takes a moment to look up someone he knows.


Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 12 May.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Sorry, but considering it only appeared for about one episode and lacked the ablative armor and Romulan cloaking device, I won't be referring to the ship as the _Defiant_ - it will be the _Sao Paulo_. It was really just cheap for them to give the DS9 crew a new ship, same class and permission to rename it '_Defiant_', for just one episode since it weakened any emotional impact of the actual _Defiant_'s loss.

Disclaimer: Paramount, CBS, et cetera own Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and all associated characters, locations and situations. Said characters and situations are being used without permission or intent to profit, merely for entertainment purposes.

* * *

-o0O0o-

"...In The Ranks Of Death You Will Find Him..."  
By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

-o0O0o-

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"The Minstrel Boy to the war has gone; in the ranks of death you will find him; his father's sword he has girded on and his wild harp slung behind him. 'Land of song', said the warrior-bard; 'Though all the world betrays thee; one sword, at least, thy rights shall guard; one faithful harp shall praise thee'."

"I'm not gonna win this one, am I, Chief?"

"No, sir." - Chief Miles O'Brien and Captain Benjamin Maxwell, TNG: 'The Wounded'.

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-o0o-

As the combined Alpha Quadrant fleet - now including the Cardassian forces that had turned on the Dominion after the bombing of Lakarian City - set course for Cardassia Prime and hopefully the final battle with the Dominion forces, Captain Benjamin Sisko looked around the bridge of the U.S.S. _Sao Paulo._

"Something wrong, Chief?" he asked one of the officers.

"No... yes... Maybe, I don't know," Chief Petty Officer Miles O'Brien answered.

"Well, that just about covers all the options," Ensign Nog muttered, earning the young Ferengi officer a stern look from Sisko.

"What is it, Miles?" Sisko asked again.

O'Brien looked over his shoulder at Sisko, "You think there would be any problems with me making a call, Captain? If the Cardies... the Cardassians _are _on our side now, there's something I want to know."

"We've got an hour at full impulse before we reach Cardassia Prime, Chief," Sisko nodded, "I suggest you talk fast."

O'Brien nodded back and returned his attention to his station as he entered commands, "Cardassian command ship, this is Chief Miles O'Brien on the U.S.S. _De_- the U.S.S. _Sao Paulo_."

He still wasn't used to being on a different ship, even if it was the same class.

"This is Gul Ocett of the warship _Galinor_, Cardassian fleet, Tenth Order," a female Cardassian in military uniform appeared on O'Brien's viewscreen, "It would appear that my ship is the 'Cardassian command ship' you wish to communicate with. What is it you want?"

"I wanted to find out about a Cardassian officer I know," O'Brien answered, "His name's Daro, he was a Glinn on the _Tragar _about eight, nine years ago."

Ocett inclined her head, "Interesting, a Starfleet officer inquiring after a Cardassian Glinn considering that officially our peoples are still at war."

"Yeah, well, it's an interesting galaxy," O'Brien shot back, "How about it?"

"The _Tragar_ is a ship of the First Order, but I am familiar with it," Ocett answered, "Macet and his crew are loyal to Cardassia, not the Dominion. They are also members of the Liberation. Unfortunately, the survivors of the First, Third and Ninth Orders from the battle of Rondac III have not yet been able to rejoin the forces of the true, _free_ Cardassia. If we are fortunate, they will reach Cardassia Prime in time to lend their ships to our cause once more."

"That's great," O'Brien responded, "Really, it's great, but Daro?"

"At the last communique from Gul Macet... Glinn Daro remained alive and serving as his first officer," Ocett replied, "Does that satisfy your curiousity, Chief O'Brien?"

"Actually, it does," O'Brien's lips quirked up in a slight smile, "Anything else will have to wait until after we've dealt with your homeworld's little Dominion problem."

"Then you will forgive me if I see to my own ship and crew in the meantime," Ocett abruptly ended the transmission leaving O'Brien looking at a screen displaying the United Federation of Planets seal.

"No matter the situation with the Cardassians," O'Brien shook his head, "Some things never change. They wouldn't know how to hang up politely if it bit them."

"So, who's Glinn Daro?" Nog asked from the helm.

O'Brien turned to shoot the Ferengi a quick glare for his eavesdropping, "Someone I owe a drink that's almost ten years overdue, that's all you need to know, Ensign."


End file.
